Thanksgiving Prep: It's Almost Here!

Khalil shares his game plan for a low stress Thanksgiving holiday...yum!

By Khalil Hymore

First of all, let me just say, I'm loving this Fall weather we are having on the East coast. It's crisp but not cold, a little sunny, a little rainy, gorgeous leaves...I love it all. Autumn in the North East is one of my favorite things. It just makes me want to talk long walks and then go home, cook a comforting meal, and then snuggle up on the couch with a good movie or book. Given the economic stats CNN keeps shoving in my face...I may have to draw the curtains too!

Okay so we have much to discuss: Thanksgiving is just a little over a week away. Yikes! Who's ready? Seriously, I'd like to see a show of hands. I know I'm not: Work is crazy, Scott and I may be moving, and Sophie (our pup) just recovered from minor surgery. On top of all that, we are having house guests this week and have a busy weekend ahead. What to do? Well, lucky for me, this year's Thanksgiving celebration is going to be a small intimate affair, just Scott, my sister, his mom, our cousin, and myself. Totally doable because I plan on getting as much done ahead of time as I can...and enlist some help, of course.

I plan on putting my sister Ashley on cocktail duty now that her fabulous recipes are up WEtv.com (big round of applause for her! I am so proud!): Creamsicle Pitcher (great for a crowd) Grapefruit Fizz (refreshing and light) Spiced Spiked Cider (perfect for a cold winter night), Cranberry Cocktail (when a celebration is in order), Maple Tea (more of a manly drink for those who eschew colored cocktails), and, my personal favorite, the Ruby Blossom (kind of like a grown-up Cosmopolitan). Check them out for your self, they are all delicious and crowd pleasing. As for the food, well it's make ahead all the way. I plan on making almost everything in advance.

Since we are a small group, I am planning on making a turkey roulade from my  Pomegranate-Citrus Glazed Turkey Two Ways with Shallot-Herb Gravy and stuffing it with my Hazelnut-Mushroom Stuffing. The key to a stress-less holiday is definitely getting much of the work done the day before, and leaving the bird for the big day (speaking of big days, I'd love hear all about yours--feel free to post comments below).
In fact, the roulade, or even a whole bird, can be prepped the day before and simply popped into the oven. My plan is to shop on Monday and Tuesday on my way home from work -- making two trips while you run other errands is so much more relaxing than making a special giant trip to the grocery store the day before. The exception to this rule is the turkey, my advice? Skip the grocery store. Open the phone book right now and look-up your local butcher--seriously, do it now. This is the week to order that bird. Then when it arrives to the butcher, send your husband or significant other to pick it up--trust me, men love butcher shops! As for the rest of the meal, my Perfect Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry-Orange Marmalade, green beans, and Ginger-Pumpkin Pie can all be prepared the day before, leaving me time to make a simple salad and throw together an artisanal cheese plate with Smokey Cashews as the turkey roasts.

You know, in the past I used to exhaust myself, making sure the Thanksgiving dinner was perfect and bountiful, but after hosting several of my own Thanksgiving celebrations I have learned to cheat....just a touch. No one needs to know that you prepped everything, leisurely in the days before. This way you can look cool calm and collected when your guests arrive, and they'll wonder how you did it.

Okay, now that we've covered Thanksgiving, I want to chat a minute about Top Chef--any fans in the house? I thought so...well, another exciting season got under way last week, in New York City and it already looks to be an intense outing. Already in the first episode, two cooks were asked to pack their knives and go (Yikes!), one chef nearly cut his thumb off, and Jean-George Vongerichten (of Jean-George, Spice Market, and Mercer Kitchen fame) was the guest judge. The hands down best part of the show was seeing two of the chefs shopping in my neighborhood of Astoria, Queens! They even shopped at Titan Foods -- a fab Greek grocery store up the street from me. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Alright troops, good luck with your turkey days! First and foremost -- don't stress. At the end of the day, it's only food, and what matters most are your friends and family that you have gathered with to celebrate the day. Believe me, it is a mantra that even I have to stick to when things don't my way in the kitchen -- be grateful! It's what Thanksgiving is all about, and when you're done, you can always tune into Top Chef for some REAL kitchen blunders.